Sorry? Sorry for what? Sorry for the hurt that I've put you through, sorry for years of pain, sorry for this being the last time you'll get to see her all over again? I couldn't wrap my thoughts around her statement.
A broken smile was soon frozen to my face as I looked at the little girl smiling back at me from her seat and then the car began to move.
I walked alongside the car a few strides, the air brushing my face made me realize that my cheeks were covered in hot wet tears, and urgently I held up my hand in a wave hoping she could see.
Then I saw her tiny hand rise up into the air and she waved at me from the backseat window as the car began to drive away.
I waved back at her feverishly and then blew her a kiss as my smile and my sunglasses hid the next rush of tears produced from her simple gesture. I kissed the tips of my fingers as softly as I would have kissed her cheek, blinking rapidly, then they were gone.
I watched the road where the car had turned the corner, wanting desperately for them to reappear, but when after several moments they didn't, I turned away.
My day was over, it was two o'clock in the afternoon for everyone one else, but for me this day was over. I had lived the last four days in anticipation of today and now I couldn't believe it was already done.
Deflated, I pressed the button on the key chain in my hand, the doors of my car unlocked. My body running on autopilot now I opened the door and climbed into the driver's seat blinded by tears of happiness and regret and clamped my own seatbelt into place.
From where I sat with both hands trying to grip the steering wheel, I could clearly see the spot by the playground where we had connected for such a brief moment and she had placed her hand in mine. I replayed the short scene in my head until a smile replaced the tears.
The engine turned over and a performer blasted at me through the radio, I checked the rear view mirror and turned in my seat to back the car out of the parking place when I noticed a small box wrapped in pink paper and a silver ribbon looked back at me mockingly from the passenger seat.
The little silver locket with my picture inside it that I had bought for this very special occasion had been forgotten in my rush to be by her side. I immediately shot a look in the direction that I had just seen them disappear and slammed my foot on the accelerator.